


Maybe

by Awritesomething



Category: This Is Us (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Strangers to Lovers, first kiss(es)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24758707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awritesomething/pseuds/Awritesomething
Summary: Dinner was no big deal. But a nagging voice in the back of Madison’s mind warned her it could never be just dinner with Kevin. Their relationship was already fragile—cordial at best, conflicting at its worst. But if sharing afternoon tea didn’t send the world spinning off its axis, Madison doubted dinner with Kevin could cause much harm.--Exploring the day Madison and Kevin had tea.
Relationships: Kevin Pearson/Madison Simons
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	Maybe

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> This is my first TIU fic, so fingers-crossed it lines up with canon. The idea here is to explore the key moments leading up to the birth of Madison and Kevin's twins. There will potentially be a one-shot for each of the months, all loosely connected to one another as Madison and Kevin grow closer. For this first chapter, I explored what I imagine happened *that day.* This piece is mostly fluff, as I like to imagine apart from the deeper conversations that led Madison and Kevin to connect with one another, they also just had fun together.
> 
> \---  
> EDIT AS OF 1/17/21: This piece used to be titled "The Road to September." I changed the title because I've decided not to continue this piece. I also removed the second and third chapters, as I no longer like them. But although I won't be updating this fic, I will still be writing more for kevison!

When Madison opened the door to find Kevin, she couldn't help but frown. It wasn't that Kevin was the _last_ person Madison hoped to see, but he certainly wasn't very high on her list. 

Yet, after a reluctant offer and acceptance of tea, Madison found herself still sitting with Kevin at Kate and Toby's kitchen table over an hour later. What was supposed to be a quick stop at Kate's house to walk and feed Audio, had turned into an afternoon spent with her best friend's brother. 

Madison glanced at Kevin, taking advantage of the lull in conversation. Kevin sat next to her, his chin propped up in his hand. Madison thought he'd be more tired after a day of travel. Perhaps that was just the life of an actor—it wouldn't be absurd to assume Kevin was used to late-night shoots and early morning press interviews. Kevin looked deep in thought and Madison could only guess what he was thinking. 

Over the years, Madison had collected bits of Kevin's life from her conversations with Kate. _Kevin's movie premiers next month. Kevin is drinking again. You'll never guess what Kevin told me yesterday…_ Simply put, everything Madison knew about Kevin fit neatly into a highlight reel. Well, a highlight reel of everything Kate deemed a highlight, at least. 

Kate, Kevin, and Randall were a tight-knit group. As an only child herself, Madison wondered how her life would differ if she'd had an older sister to guide her, to step in before things went wrong. Maybe a brother? Older or younger, Madison liked to imagine he could have mended the divide before she and her family split ways. But Madison didn't have a sibling. In reality, she hadn't spoken to her parents in years. Any speculation of how her life would differ was no more than wishful thinking, an idealization of what-ifs and could-have-beens. 

Not intending to, Madison sighed aloud. Kevin turned to her, a crease forming in-between his brows. "Is my company that boring?" 

"No, it's just—" Madison shook her head, wondering if he noticed she'd been staring at him. Leaning down, Madison rummaged through her purse at the foot of her chair. She pulled out her phone and clicked it on. A photo of Madison holding Jack on her lap on a park swing lit-up the screen. 

Madison shifted back to Kevin. "It's just that it's getting late. Almost five o'clock, actually. Toby will be home soon." 

The smile dancing at Kevin's lips disappeared and he ran a hand through his hair. "Oh! I didn't realize it was getting so late." 

"Yeah, I should probably get going. I wasn't planning on being here this long." 

Kevin nodded. He opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it. 

Madison raised her eyebrows in question. Kevin didn't say anything else, so she gathered her purse, and made her way to the kitchen counter. Picking up a loose note pad and pen, she scribbled a quick note for Toby. When she looked up, she found Kevin hovering behind her. 

"I was just wondering if, uh—" Kevin paused to scratch his nose. 

Madison offered Kevin a small smile. "If what?" 

Kevin cleared his throat. "If you'd like to get some dinner?" 

"Oh." _Oh._ Madison tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, I don't know if that'd be a good idea." 

Kevin shook his head hurriedly. "Yeah, you're right. We probably shouldn't. I mean, you're Kate's best friend, I'm her brother, and—"

Madison waved a hand to stop him. "No, it's not that..." _It's just what?_ Dinner was no big deal. But a nagging voice in the back of Madison's mind warned her it could never be _just dinner_ with Kevin. Their relationship was already fragile—cordial at best, conflicting at its worst. But if sharing afternoon tea didn't send the world spinning off its axis, Madison doubted dinner with Kevin could cause much harm.

"Actually, sure," said Madison. When a look of surprise crossed Kevin's face, she shrugged. "Why not?"

While Kevin stayed in the kitchen, Madison made a quick trip to the living room to say goodbye to Audio. She collected their empty mugs on her way back. 

"So did you drive here?" Madison asked as she reentered the kitchen. She went to the sink, quickly cleaning the mugs. 

"I took an Uber."

"You didn't have your personal chauffeur pick you up from the airport?" she teased, raising her voice so it could be heard over the running faucet.

Kevin laughed. "Believe it or not, I'm not that boujee _all_ the time _._ " Kevin made his way over to the sink to help her. But cleaning the mugs was a one-person job, leaving him nothing to do but stand there awkwardly.

Madison placed the mugs to the side to dry and reached for a towel to dry her hands. "Okay well, you can just ride with me then." 

Kevin drummed his fingers on the kitchen counter. "That works. What were you thinking? Sushi? Burgers?" Kevin's voice trailed off as he listed a handful of other options. 

Madison glanced at Kevin and couldn't help but smile at him. _It's the movie star effect._ "I went grocery shopping earlier today, we could eat at my place." Madison clapped her hands together. "I found this recipe for zucchini noodles on Pinterest last night, and I'm just _dying_ to try them."

"Zucchini?" Kevin scrunched his nose.

Madison set down the kitchen towel and gave Kevin a pointed look. "Hush, you haven't even tried them yet."

Kevin pressed his lips together in an attempt to hide his amusement. "Fine, but sushi is the backup plan." 

“That soufflé I made for Kate was a one-time thing, Kevin," said Madison, rolling her eyes. Already half-way out the back door, she called back over her shoulder, “I'll have you know, I'm an excellent cook."

* * *

Dinner was a success and another two hours later, Kevin and Madison were still together. They sat on her living room couch, Madison's feet propped up on her coffee table. Kevin sat no more than two feet away. 

After dinner, Kevin and Madison had at first intended to watch a movie. But the television screen remained black and their conversations carried on. In all honesty, Madison found herself surprised by the ease with which their conversations flowed from one topic to the next. 

As late afternoon turned to early evening, Madison also grew more aware of Kevin's presence in the quietness of her home. She noted the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way he gestured with his hands as he spoke. Other than her slew of failed boyfriends and an occasional visit by Kate and Jack, it wasn’t often she had guests over. 

Kevin shifted closer to Madison. "Have you ever seen this picture?" 

Madison leaned towards Kevin to look at the picture on his phone. It was of Jack, a mischievous grin on his face as he smeared spaghetti sauce into his wispy hair. Madison smiled. Looking up at Kevin, she said, "Actually, I was there when it happened." 

"Really? Toby sent me that picture," said Kevin. Then, without warning, he broke into chuckles. "You know, my mom always tells this story. It was the first time she made spaghetti for us. She says she and my dad turned around for... I don't know, maybe all of two minutes. And when they looked back at us spaghetti was just _everywhere_. It was like it was a competition to see who could make the biggest mess. It was all over us, our chairs, and the floor. My dad used to swear he found a piece of a noodle stuck up Randall's nose after." 

"Up his nose?" Madison broke into laughter herself. 

Kevin nodded. "I'm not sure whether I believe it, but it makes for a good story." Kevin's smile faded, turning to a frown. "It's stories like that that make me wish my dad was still around. He and my mom? Together they were something else."

Madison nodded in agreement. Although she'd never met Kevin's father, she felt she had from the number of stories she'd heard. Jack and Rebecca's relationship was the one each of the Pearsons strived for. Madison noticed it in her chats with Kate, and in Kevin's musings over his own love life just today. Madison took a deep breath and exhaled. "It's been so long since I've seen my parents." 

Kevin's eyes softened. "Are they—" 

"Dead?" Madison tried to smile, her attempt halfhearted. "No, but...we aren't speaking." 

"Oh." If Kevin was wondering the reason, he didn't ask. He waited to see if Madison would continue, his eyes scanning her face. When Madison remained silent, he didn't press further. "Are you from California?" 

"No, I came here for school and have been here ever since." Madison crossed one of her ankles over the other. "I moved around a bit as a kid. Never away from the East Coast, though." 

"It was after high school I moved to New York with Sophie. She started school and I started to pursue acting." Kevin crossed his arms across his chest. "I think like LA, New York is one of those places where you either love it or hate it. I'm not sure if it's New York I liked, or what came with it. Or maybe even what didn't come with it. My dad had just died, and in a way, New York felt like a fresh start." 

Madison thought back to her own start in California. Although she'd had money saved from summer jobs and her parents, it dwindled quickly. Even with her scholarships, Cali wasn't exactly the cheapest place to start an independent life. "How did you guys afford New York?" 

Kevin laughed dryly. "We couldn't. I called my mom every other week asking for money. Even tacked the fact Sophie and I got married onto a call." Kevin shrugged. "I was in love and I think I would have followed Sophie anywhere. It was my fault we split years later, and although we tried again and it didn't work, some part of me still wishes I had another chance." 

Madison bit the inside of her cheek, considering her next words carefully. "Sometimes…I play with the idea of going home. I guess I've lived in LA long enough now that it should feel like my only home, but for better or for worse, home always connects to the start." Madison tugged on a loose thread of her sweater sleeve. When it snapped off, she glanced up at Kevin. "Maybe that's what happened with you and her. When you spend so much of your life with someone, it's inevitable they become a sort of home to you. But just because somewhere or _someone_ was once home, doesn't mean they still are. People grow apart. They change." 

Kevin pressed his lips together, mulling over Madison's words. "People and places can differ in that way, though. I may be different. But just recently, when I was back in Pittsburgh? The place looked an awful lot the same to me. But I think that makes it feel worse. Although things look the way they used to, it's impossible for things to go back to the way they were."

While Madison liked to imagine what it would be like to go home, any hope she had of doing so only seemed to shrink over the years. The longer she went without speaking to her parents, the easier it became to not. Madison twirled the thread from her sweater between her fingers before setting it to the side. "So, do you not think you'd ever move back?" 

"To Pennsylvania?" Kevin tilted his head to the side. "I don't know, maybe someday. I stayed there last year with my uncle for a bit, but I guess acting might always bring me back to California. And sure, I've found success in acting...but I also don't think success is all that I'm after."

Madison's mind roamed back to the morning she spent shopping with Kate and Kevin for Toby's surprise party. Later, Kate's explanation of how Kevin's impromptu date had gone was vague, but Madison had gathered enough to assume it hadn’t turned out well. 

If not related to his career, was it a love like Jack and Rebecca's that Kevin was looking for? If that was the case, Madison wondered what he saw in a day spent with her. She didn't fit into Kevin's life of fancy premiers and cross-continent travel. When Madison wasn't with Kate, most of her time was spent working at her laptop, digging her way out of a mountain of emails and voicemails. If not for Kevin dropping by, her walk with Audio would have been the only interesting thing to come out of today. 

Kevin flicked his phone screen to another photo. "Have you seen this one?" he asked, breaking Madison's train of thought. 

Madison leaned over again to look at the picture. As she did, it occurred to her how easy it would be to rest her head on his shoulder. Maybe he'd toss his arm behind her. Whether Kevin was thinking similarly, he didn't show it. 

The picture was of Jack asleep in his bassinet. It was an old picture, Jack's small body barely filling out his already tiny clothes. "Wow, I can't believe how little he used to be." 

"I know, right? In two months he'll be one." Kevin glanced down at Madison and bit his lip. "You know, I never apologized for that day at the hospital, the day Jack was born." 

Madison waved her hand. "That was so long ago, it doesn't matter." 

Kevin shook his head. "It does matter. I was a jerk. Sure, I was drinking. But that's not an excuse."

"Kevin, I—" 

"Please, just listen." Kevin set his hand on Madison's knee, turning to Madison so he could look at her more directly. "It was wrong for me to suggest you didn't belong there. You're family to Kate just as much as the rest of us. Heck, you were definitely more of a help to Kate than me, and you're still around as much as you can. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Madison whispered. She met Kevin's gaze, and he didn't look away. A deep brown, she could get lost in his eyes for days. A second passed and Madison could have sworn his eyes dropped to her lips. But the moment ended and Kevin turned away, leaning back into the couch cushions. 

"Remember Kate's wedding?" Kevin asked, propping his feet up next to hers. 

Madison deadpanned. "Kate is married? Since when?" 

Kevin gave Madison a sideways glance and laughed. "You wore that dress with the ruffled sleeves." Kevin bumped Madison's arm with the back of his hand as he spoke. "I mean, everyone looked great, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice you." 

Madison shrugged, urging herself not to blush. 

"How about dancing? Do you remember dancing with me?" 

Madison hit her hand to her forehead, feigning remembrance. "I do remember that." With a soft laugh, she added, "You might be a decent actor, but when it comes to dancing you have two left feet." 

Kevin placed one of his hands to his chest "I don't know whether I should be more offended you said I'm only a _decent_ actor, or that you said I can't dance." 

"It's true," said Madison, laughing harder. "I have the videos to prove it." 

She moved to pick up her phone, and Kevin reached for her wrist to stop her. "Kevin," Madison warned, tugging her wrist free. 

Kevin laughed. "What? I have a reputation to protect." He moved closer to Madison, their arms brushing as Madison unlocked her phone and opened her photos app. 

Scrolling through hundreds of photos, she scrolled all the way back to the month and year of Kate's wedding. Madison sighed, glancing in the direction of her bedroom. "I think the videos are on my laptop." 

"That's alright," said Kevin, watching as she scrolled back up and tapped on a photo of a flowery bush she had taken earlier on her walk with Audio. When Madison flicked her screen to another photo from her walk, this one a selfie of her and Audio Madison had sent to Kate, Kevin caught sight of the time. "Oh wow, it's already 8:17." 

Madison turned off her phone. She tossed it onto the throw pillow next to her and leaned her head back against the couch. "I didn't realize, this day has just flown by." Madison tilted her head to better see Kevin. "Do you...have to go now?" 

"I— I probably should," Kevin replied, retrieving his own phone to request a ride home. A few minutes later, his request went through. Kevin set his phone down, turning his attention back to Madison. "Steven is five minutes away," he announced. "Must already be in the area."

"That's good." _Good?_ Madison mentally scolded herself for the lameness of her reply. She searched for something else to say, but Kevin beat her to it. 

"I had a good time today, Madison," he said. "I know my schedule is sort of tricky, but we should do this again sometime." Madison watched as Kevin stood up from the couch. He stretched, a sliver of his abdomen visible as he did. 

"Me too," Madison finally said. She wondered if she should say more. Regardless of whatever one could label this non-date day with Kevin, Madison had enjoyed his company. Who would have known Kevin Pearson and Madison Simons had anything in common? After spending the day with him, Madison realized they had a lot more in common than she previously thought. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so easily with someone other than Kate, or even felt comfortable enough to share stories hinting at the cracks in the cheery image of herself she worked so hard to create. 

With words still evading her, Madison trailed Kevin to her front door. Just as he reached the threshold of her living room, Madison called out to him. "Kevin, wait." 

Kevin stopped, his curious eyes settling on her. Now mere inches from where he stood, Madison reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. Kevin didn't object, so she slid it higher, running her palm up his neck and past his chin. His cheek felt rough beneath her skin, stubble beginning to grow after a day or two of not shaving. 

Before she could lose her nerve, Madison stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his. 

Maybe it was because she was newly single, and Kevin attractive as well as single himself. 

Maybe it was because he'd said the right things to her. That she should look at herself as the person who stays, the person who attempts a surprise soufflé to make their friend’s bad day not so bad. 

Maybe it was because they'd spent hours together without running out of topics. They spoke of everything from their shared memories from being a part of Kate's life to the disasters that were Madison and Kevin navigating big cities on their own before smartphones were a thing.

Maybe it was simply because she _wanted_ to. 

Stepping back, Madison felt heat flood her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she whispered.

Kevin stood frozen. After a pause, he ran his tongue over his lips. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded rough. "Madison—"

He took a step closer, trailing his hands up her arms to her face. When his hands cupped her face between them, Kevin leaned down and this time kissed Madison back. 

Madison parted her lips, and Kevin deepened the kiss. Slowly, Kevin backed Madison into the wall. With his body up against hers, he threaded his fingers through her hair only to drop them to her hips. Madison shifted her own arms to wrap them around Kevin's neck. 

Breaking the kiss, Kevin pressed his lips to the corner of Madison's mouth. He placed subsequent kisses along the curve of her jaw and along her neck, the warmth in Madison's face spreading to the rest of her body. 

"Kevin," Madison said, her stomach fluttering as he lifted his mouth from her skin. When Kevin kissed her again and didn't respond, she spoke more sharply. "Kevin!" 

Kevin broke apart from her. "What?" he asked, his voice breathy.

Madison met Kevin's gaze, his eyes earnest, and his uneven breathing comparable to her own. "Your Uber's here," she said, gesturing to the car headlights beaming through her living room curtains. 

Kevin glanced from Madison to the window and then back to Madison. Madison could only imagine what he saw when he looked at her: tousled hair and pink lips if Kevin's appearance served to mirror her own. 

Just then, as if the car sitting in her driveway wasn't proof enough, Kevin's phone rang in his back pocket. He pulled his phone out and began to type. 

Madison laughed. "What are you going to do? Ask for five more minutes?" 

Kevin shook his head. After slipping his phone back into his pocket, he reached for Madison's hands. Lowering his head, he pressed his mouth to hers. "I canceled it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Also shout-out to the Kevison Nation chat, this one's for you all. I love you guys!!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Also shout-out to Kevison Nation, this one's for you all. I love you guys!!! <3


End file.
